Lindholm on Representing Sweden at the Worlds and His Summer Plans

While it's the offseason for most of the Ducks, a few of them have remained active in the game by representing their countries at the IIHF World Championship in Denmark. Korbinian Holzer played for Team Germany, which was eliminated by Canada a few weeks ago, while Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell have helped Team Sweden to a berth in this weekend's semifinals.
Rakell's six goals and seven assists have him fifth in the entire tournament in scoring, while Lindholm has been a major reason Sweden has been solid defensively in reeling off eight wins. The Swedes take on Team USA tomorrow at Royal Arena in Denmark, while Canada faces Switzerland in the other semifinal.
It was close to midnight Copenhagen time - a few hours after Sweden defeated Latvia 3-2 in the quarters - when Lindholm was kind enough to talk about his experience in the Worlds and the rest of his summer plans.

How has the tournament been so far?
It's always fun to play for your country. Overall it's a little different playing on the big ice, but it's been good. It's a good group of guys, and I'm enjoying it. I actually think it's more fun to play on the smaller ice, because stuff happens faster. But it's fun too because you have some room to work with. But it's always special to play for your country and play with your countrymen. Especially now for me to play so close to home, that's special too.
Is it extra special to play with Ricky in a different setting?
Oh yeah of course. I've known Raks forever now and we lived together for a long time. He's been playing really well. I think everyone in Anaheim, and you and I know, how good he is, so it's no surprise to see him playing this well. It's fun that other people get to see it too.
What is Denmark like?
It's very similar to Sweden, a little bit different. I live pretty close to Denmark in south Sweden. It's only about an hour and fifteen from where I live in Sweden, in a town called Helsingborg. You just take the boat over here, and then a 45-minute train ride to Copenhagen. So it's really close and I've been several times before.
Any issues with the language?
Because I lived so close for so long, I can kind of understand them, and it's similar to Swedish a little bit. I've picked up little things, but usually we just have to speak English to each other.
What are your thoughts about playing the U.S. in the semis?
They have a really good team, and it's gonna be a tough game, a different kind of game. We know a lot of guys on that team, so it'll be a fun game.
What does the rest of your summer look like?
I might come back for a week or two to Cali, and then after that I'll come back to Sweden to train and maybe take some small trips here and there with some friends. Nothing major planned right now. I'm going to try and be a little spontaneous and see where it takes me.
You've been working on a house in Irvine. How is that coming along?
It's close to finished. They're building the back yard now, but it's getting closer and closer. Both me and Raks are moved in. He lives right next door to me. Next-door neighbors, but different houses this time.